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REFLECTION

Having faith is the theme for our reflection. Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. The writer of Hebrews gives us a Biblical definition of faith when he wrote that, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus’ disciples were faced with the test of demonstrating their faith and the power given to them to heal a boy possessed by a demon. We are told the demon caused him to have seizures and made him suffer greatly by sometimes making him fall into fire and water. When the boy’s father brought him to the disciples, they were unable to heal him or cast the demon out of him hence, his father brought Him to Jesus. (Matthew 17:14-16). “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” ¹⁸ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” ²⁰ He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:17-20)

Beloved in the Lord, it is interesting that Jesus rebuked the disciples because their faith was so little yet He expected them to have faith as small as a mustard seed. The striking difference between the disciples’ “So little faith” and Jesus’ “faith as small as a mustard seed” is that the disciples’ ” so little faith” was borne out of fear and doubt but Jesus’ “faith as small as a mustard seed” is borne out of assurance, certainty, confidence and hope for a favourable outcome through the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the “so little faith” of the disciples was built on nothing. It is for this reason, Jesus admonished them that their faith, even if it is small must be borne out of confidence and hope in God then it will grow exponentially like the mustard seed and produce impactful results. Jesus described the nature of the mustard seed in Mark 4:31-32 when he said that “a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, ³² yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” (Mark 4:31-32) Dear friend, Jesus is teaching us with the example of the mustard seed to have faith that may be small initially but grow to become impactful.

It is also important to note that Jesus saw His disciples as people who were in the process of maturing or growing in their spiritual and ministerial formation hence His expectation of them to have faith as small as a mustard seed, which will eventually grow to become larger than all the garden plants. It means that we who are in Christ for quite some time now are expected to have faith like the fully developed mustard plant and not the mustard seed because we are no longer at the fundamental stage of our spiritual formation and maturity. Paul says that ” When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. “(1 Corinthians 13:11). We would observe that after the Ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the faith of the disciples was no longer like a mustard seed but it became like a mustard plant. It was for this reason Peter healed the lame beggar, when he said to him “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. (Acts 3:6-8). This is what Jesus meant when He said “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20). Beloved in the Lord without faith it is impossible to manifest or experience the power of the Holy Spirit in us when we are faced with obstacles. How can you rely on a person you don’t trust or have no confidence in? It is for this reason, Hebrew 11:6 admonishes us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6). Again, Jesus assures has to have faith when He said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14)

Beloved in the Lord, what challenges are you facing in your life currently? Is your faith little and ineffective or it is as small as a mustard seed that grows and is impactful? When you pray to God, is your mind and heart clouded with doubts and fear occasioned by the challenges in your life, or your faith in the Lord enables you to possess confidence and hope in the face of adversities. Remember Jesus told the woman who was healed from the issue of the blood, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48). When Jesus healed the Blind beggar, He said to him “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” (Luke 18:42). May you be the next person to be told to receive your healing, breakthrough, employment, wedding, promotion, graduation, contract and many more because of your faith in Jesus Christ. My dear friend, we have been greatly challenged in today’s reflection that regardless of the situation and challenges we find ourselves in let us have faith in the Lord. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen our faith to develop like a mustard seed so that we shall move the mountains in our lives and have the impossible become possible through our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Amen.